Railroad joint-crossing.



G. DUPBS.

RAILROAD JOINT CROSSING. APPLIOATION FILED APB1.22,'1913.

1,078,724, Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

psi ans '7 RAILROAD JOINT-CROSSING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

Application filed April 22, 1913. Serial No. 762,962.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE Burns, .a citizenof the United States, residing at Knoxville, in the county of Knox andState of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful RailroadJoint-Crossing, of which the following is a specification. V

The device forming the subject matter of this application is adapted tobe used in connection with a railroad weighin scale for the purpose ofalining the rail section supported by the platform of the scale, withanother rail sect-ion supported independently of the movable platform ofthe scale.

One object of the present invention is to provide a device of the typeabove mentioned, in which a vertically movable member cooperates with apair of guides, thereby to effect an alining of the rails.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this type inwhich the vertically movable member is normally upheld, yieldingly, inposition for engagement by the wheel of a passing car, to aline the railsections.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this type bythe means of which the wheel of the railway vehicle will be eased downupon the platform supported rail section, thereby preventing an unduevibration of the scale beam.

It is within the scope of the invention to improve generally and toenhance the utility of, devices of that type to which the presentinvention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope ofwhat is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing: Figure 1 shows the invention in perspective; Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section; Fig. 3 is a transverse section; and Fig. 4 is aside elevation showing a modification.

In the drawings, the vertically. moving weighing platform of the scaleis denoted by the numeral 1.

The numeral 2 indicates a fixed support, such as the frame, ground orfloor, which surrounds the edge of the platform 1. A

rail 3 issecured to the support 2 and is in approximate alinement with arail 4 which is secured to the platform 1.

Mounted upon the support 2 in close relation to the rail dis a guide 5.Another guide, denoted by the numeral 6, is mounted upon the platform 1and in close relation to the rail 4, The guides are substantialduplicates, and but one of them need be described in detall. Each guidecomprises a base fi, having an upstanding rib 8. That face of the rib 8which is adjacent the rail. is inclined, as indicated at 91 Securingelements 12. pass through the bases 7 of'the guides 5 and 6, and serveto hold the guides respectively, in place upon the support'2'and uponthe platform 1. Each guide is provided, at one side of the rib 8 withrecesses 14. Securing elements 15, engage the platform 1" and in thesupport 2 project downwardly through the guides at the bases of therecesses, and constitute means for supporting-the respective guides'band 6 against movement. Other securing elements 11 eX- tend into therecesses 14 and connect the side of the guides with the rails.

A vertically movable member is provided,

the same in the present instance taking the form of a tongue 18pivotally held in place by means of a bolt 16, loosely engaged in anopening 17 formed in the tongue adjacent one end thereof, the bolt 16entering the guide 5. A resilient means is provided, for normallyholding the free end of the tongue uplifted, the resilient means, in thepresent instance, taking theform of a helical com pression spring 20,fitting in one of the recesses 14, the upper end of the spring 20exerting a pressure against the lower face of the tongue 18. Upon itsupper edge, and adjacent at its ends the vertically movable member ortongue 18 is beveled as indicated at 21.

Presupposing that the parts are positioned as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,the operation of the device is as follows: A railway vehicle wheel,rolling along the rail 3 will encounter the beveled port-ion 21 of thetongue 18 which is located adjacent the pivot element 16. The tongue 18will thus be depressed, and as the tongue is depressed, it will ridealong the inclined inner faces 9 of the ribs 8 of the guides 5 and 6. Bythis operation, a lateral movement will be imparted to the platform 1,and the rails 3 and 4 will be alined, so that the wheel of the railwayve- 21 which is adjacent the free end of the tongue will serve to easethe wheel onto the rail it. The bevels 21, therefore, serve to preventviolent movement of the platform 1 and, consequently, prevent forcibleoscillations of the scale beam. So soon as the vehicle wheel is freefrom the end of the tongue 18, the spring will restore the tongue 18 tothe position shown in Figs.

1 and 2.

The device herein disclosed, although simple in construction, andcomprising few parts, is thoroughly efficient as a means for aliningproperly, a rail section upon a platform of a scale, and a fixed,independently supported rail section.

The device is adapted to be used on turn tables and under likeconditions, in which the tongue must be inverted or turned back in orderthat the turn table may rotate. Referring to Fig. atthe guide 50 whichis adjacent the fixed rail 51 is provided with an earvv 52 through whichpasses a pivot element 53 engaging the tongue 54:. This arrangement,replacing the bolt 16, gives the tongue a greater range of verticalmovement.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that in use the device is by nomeans confined to a scale platform.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a deviceof the class described, a

pair of guides having side faces inclined with respect to the vertical;and a vertically movable tongue cooperating with the side faces of theguides.

2. In a device of the class described, a pair of guides;'a verticallymovable tongue cooperating with the side faces of the guides; and railsections located at the sides of the guides, the rail sections beingsupported independently of the guides.

3. In a device of the class described, a pair of guides; and avertically movable tongue cooperating with the guides, one end of thetongue being beveled upon its upper edge.

4. In a device of the class described, a pair of guides; a tonguepivoted to one guide and adapted to cooperate with the side faces ofboth guides; and a spring interposed between the tongue and one guide.

5. In a device of the class described, a pair of guides; a tonguepivoted to one guide and beveled upon its upper edge, adjacent bothends; and resilient means for elevating the tongue.

6. In a device of the class described, cooperating parts comprising aguide and a tongue, one of which cooperating parts is provided with abeveled face, engageable by the other part when the tongue is moved, toproduce relative horizontal movement be tween said cooperating parts ina direction at right angles to the plane of movement of the tongue; andmeans for supporting the tongue pivotally, independently of the guide.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE DUPES.

Witnesses: V

SELINA WILLSON, I. E. SIMPSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

